Hinge structure

ABSTRACT

A hinge structure includes a pivot pin element having an elongated pivot portion and is axially insertable into a hinge pin hole formed in one of a pair of hinged members. The pivot pin element further includes a radially larger head portion that is engageable with one of the hinged members upon rotation of the pivot pin element for preventing axial movement of the pivot pin element from the operative position.

United States Patent Ross [451 May 2,1972

[21] Appl. No.: 843,380

[52] US. Cl ..l6/l68' [51] Int. Cl ..A47g 27/04 2/1939 Heasley ..292/57Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay

Assistant ExaminerDoris L. Troutman Attorney-William G. Landwier andRichard L. Ward [5 7] ABSTRACT A hinge structure includes a pivot pinelement having an elongated pivot portion and is axially insertable intoa hinge pin hole formed in one of a pair of hinged members. The pivotpin element further includes a radially larger head portion that is [58]Field of Search ..l6/ 168, 169; 220/31 SR; engageable with one Ofthehinged members upon rotation of 49/449; 292/57 the pivot pin element forpreventing axial movement of the pivot pin element from the operativeposition. [56] References Cited 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 1,270,076 6/1918 Waitt 16/169 HINGE STRUCTURE BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to ahinge structure and more particularly to a loose hinge pin elementaxially insertable to an assembly position and rotatably movable to adetented operative position pivotally engageable with a pair of hingedmembers.

2. Description of the Prior Art There is a continuing search for aninexpensive hinge construction permitting relatively easy assembly ofthe hinge while insuring effective and satisfactory long life operation.Previous patents, including US. Pat. No. 3,408,685, issued to T. B.Anthony, and assigned to the assignee of the instant invention, and alsoUS. Pat. No. 2,660,273 issued to .I. P. Rogers, disclose hingestructures related to the instant invention. Each of these priorconstructions, however, require auxiliary insertable members foroperatively retaining the hinge pivot element or the hinged member inoperative position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide animproved hinge structure having a novel insertable hinge pin element foroperatively connecting a pair of hinged members.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved hingestructure having a separate hinge pin element axially insertable androtatable to a detented operative position for interconnecting a pair ofhinged members.

The instant invention achieves the above objectives in a hinge structurethat pivotally joins a pair of hinged members, at least one of whichincludes a hinge pin hole at the pivot axis. A hinge pin element isaxially insertable into the pivot hole and is pivotally engageable withthe pair of hinged elements. The hinge pin is then rotatably movablerelative to the hinged members for retaining the hinge pin element andeffectively preventing axial or rotatable movement of the hinge pin fromthe operative position. Operation of the hinge structure and otherobjects and advantages thereof will become evident as the descriptionproceeds and from an examination of the accompanying page of drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawings illustrate a preferredembodiment of the invention with similar numerals referring to similarparts throughout the several views, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an overall view of the hinge structure for pivotallyjoining a pair of hinged members;

F IG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the hinges as takenalong line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showing the loose hinge pin element at anintermediate stage of assembly;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that shown in FIG. 2 and showing the hingepin element in fully assembled detented position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the end of the hinge pinelement as'taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of one hinge location showing analternate hinge structure useful with the invention as shown in FIGS. 1through 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, thereis shown a hinge structure for pivotally mounting a movable door or lidon a relatively stationary cabinet panel 11 as in a laundry appliance,for example. In the preferred embodiment, the cabinet panel 11 includesa pair of spaced-apart hinge pin holes, such as the hinge pin hole 14positioned on the pivot axis 15. The lid 10 similarly includes a pair ofspaced-apart hinge pin holes in- The pivot element pivotally connectingthe lid 10 to the cabinet panel 11 at each of the hinge locations is inthe form of a hinge pin element 19. As best shown in FIGS. 2 through 4,the hinge pin element 19 includes an elongated cylindrical pivot portion20 insertable into the hinge pin holes 14 and 16 at the pivot axis 15.The hinge pin element 19 also includes a head portion 21 in the form ofa flange that extends radially outwardly from the pivot surface of thepivot portion 20 and is substantially semi-circular as in FIG; 4.Located on the head portion 21 is a raised rib 24 operable as a detentmember as will be more fully explained hereinafter. Also forming a partof the hinge pin element 19 is a slot 25 adapted to receive a tool, suchas a screwdriver, for rotating the hinge pin element 19 from anintermediate position as generally indicated in FIG. 2 to the operativeposition as best shown in FIG. 3.

Referring still to FIGS. 2 through 4, it is seen that one of the hingedmembers, the lid 10 in the embodiment shown, includes a dependingretaining member 26 as in FIG. 2 The retaining member v26 includes anarcuate recessed 27, as shown in FIG. 4, to permit axial movement of thehinge pin element 19 into an assembly position. The spacing between thedepending member 26 and the side flange 29 of the hinged lid 10 issufficient to receive the head flange portion 21 of the hinge pinelement 19 upon rotation of the hinge pin element 19 to the operativeposition as in FIG. 3.

The hinged lid 10 may be assembled to the cabinet panel 11 by means of apair of the hinge pin elements as follows. The hinge pin element 19 ispartially inserted into thehole. 16 defined by the lid 10. Then, withthe hinge pin element .19 aligned on the hinge axis 15, the elongatedpivot portion 20 is axially moved into the hole 14 until the headportion 21 contacts the wall of the lid flange 29. The hinge pin element19 is then rotated, with the use of a screwdriver positioned in the slot25, to locate the semi-circular head portion 21 between the lid flange29 and the depending retainer 26. The raised detent 24 on the end of thehead portion 21 moves into recess 30 formed in the depending retainer26, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and retains the hinge pin element 19in the operative position.

Though the embodiment in the drawings shown the hinge element 19 asbeing insertable from the lid side of each hinge location, it is ofcourse possible that the adjacent cooperating hinge portions be revisedso that the hinge pin element 19 is insertable from the cabinet panelside of the hinge. This particular reversal of elements would offeradvantages from the standpoint of preventing tampering of the lid hingepin elements.

Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown an alternate construction for usewith a hinge construction as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4. FIG. 5 actuallyshows two alternate features that can be independently combined with theinstant invention. First, the hinge pin element may include a sphericalsurface 34 at the end of the elongated portion engageable with adepression 35 in the cooperating hinged member rather than passingthrough a hinge pin hole in the cabinet panel as shown in the previousfigures. The hinge pin element would be inserted through a hole in thelid as in FIGS. 1-4.

Further, FIG. 5 shows an integrally formed hinge element 37 that couldbe used at one side of a lid 39 that used a loose hinge'pin at only oneside. In such a construction, the integral.

hinge projection 37 could be positioned either into a depression 35 asshown in FIG. 5 or into a pivot hole as shown in the other figures. Aseparate hinge pin element embodying the features of the instantinvention could then be axially inserted at the other hinge location androtatively moved into the operative position as shown in FIG. 3.

It is therefore seen that the instant invention provides an improvedhinge structure that utilizes a separate hinge pin element insertablebetween a pair of members by an improved installation and retentionsystem. The construction provides for an economical hinge easilyassembled and disassembled.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed,these are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not forpurposes of limitation Changes in form and the proportion of parts, aswell as the substitution of equivalents are contemplated, ascircumstances may suggest r render expedient, without departing from thespirit or scope of this invention as further defined in the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. A hinge structure for pivotally connecting first and second membersat a pivot axis, comprising: a first hinge portion attached to saidfirst member; a second hinge portion attached to said second member andlocated in aligned juxtaposition to said first hinge portion at saidpivot axis, said first hinge portion comprising a wall substantiallynormal to said pivot axis and defining a hinge pin hole penetrating saidwall; a pivot element axially insertable into said hinge pin hole androtatable to an operative position for pivotally connecting said firstand second hinge portions; a flange portion connected to and extendingradially outwardly from a partial circumference of said pivot element atone end thereof; and a retaining member on said first member axiallyspaced from and generally parallel to said wall and extending toward thepivot member to at least partially overlap the radial extent of saidflange portion, said flange portion being rotatable to an operativeposition abutting said wall portion adjacent said hinge pin hole andsaid retaining member with detent means therebetween for maintainingsaid pivot element in said operative position. t

2. A hinge structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said pivot elementincludes an elongated portion axially insertable into said hinge pinhole, said retaining member includes an arcuate recess to permit axialinsertion of said pivot element and wherein said flange portion extendsradially outwardly from circumferentially less than half of said pivotelement and is rotatable into a position between said wall portion andsaid retaining member for axially retaining said pivot element in saidoperative position.

1. A hinge structure for pivotally connecting first and second membersat a pivot axis, comprising: a first hinge portion attached to saidfirst member; a second hinge portion attached to said second member andlocated in aligned juxtaposition to said first hinge portion at saidpivot axis, said first hinge portion comprising a wall substantiallynormal to said pivot axis and defining a hinge pin hole penetrating saidwall; a pivot element axially insertable into said hinge pin hole androtatable to an operative position for pivotally connecting said firstand second hinge portions; a flange portion connected to and extendingradially outwardly from a partial circumference of said pivot element atone end thereof; and a retaining member on said first member axiallyspaced from and generally parallel to said wall and extending toward thepivot member to at least partially overlap the radial extent of saidflange portion, said flange portion being rotatable to an operativeposition abutting said wall portion adjacent said hinge pin hole andsaid retaining member with detent means therebetween for maintainingsaid pivot element in said operative position.
 2. A hinge structure asdefined in claim 1 wherein said pivot element includes an elongatedportion axially insertable into said hinge pin hole, said retainingmember includes an arcuate recess to permit axial insertion of saidpivot element and wherein said flange portion extends radially outwardlyfrom circumferentially less than half of said pivot element and isrotatable into a position between said wall portion and said retainingmember for axially retaining said pivot element in said operativeposition.